diff --git a/terminatorlib/keybindings.py b/terminatorlib/keybindings.py
index dfdeb36b..af915a26 100644
--- a/terminatorlib/keybindings.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/keybindings.py
@@ -81,9 +81,11 @@ class TerminatorKeybindings:
       raise KeymapError("Unhandled modifier '<%s>'" % modifier)
 
   def lookup(self, event):
-    if not event:
-      raise KeymapError("lookup called with no event")
-    keyval, egroup, level, consumed = self.keymap.translate_keyboard_state(event.hardware_keycode, event.state, event.group)
+    try:
+      keyval, egroup, level, consumed = self.keymap.translate_keyboard_state(event.hardware_keycode, event.state, event.group)
+    except TypeError:
+      err ("keybindings.lookup failed to translate keyboard event: %s"%dir(event))
+      return None
     mask = (event.state & ~consumed) & self._masks
     return self._lookup.get(mask, self.empty).get(event.keyval, None)